{"id":35,"date":"2013-03-06T17:08:40","date_gmt":"2013-03-06T22:08:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.valdosta.edu\/voice\/?p=35"},"modified":"2013-09-16T13:16:17","modified_gmt":"2013-09-16T17:16:17","slug":"40-years-of-coaching-excellence-and-still-going-strong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.valdosta.edu\/voice\/2013\/03\/06\/40-years-of-coaching-excellence-and-still-going-strong\/","title":{"rendered":"40 Years of Coaching Excellence and Still Going Strong"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Hansen_1\"<\/a>Growing up, John Hansen\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s life could be compared to that of a nomad moving from city to city with no permanent dwelling place.<\/p>\n

The son of a Marine pilot, Hansen\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s family moved 32 times before he graduated from high school in Gainesville, Fla.<\/p>\n

After a few years at the Naval Academy, Hansen was on the move again and in 1970 found himself in Valdosta, Ga.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I was living in Tallahassee and really not doing anything, so I basically followed a girl here,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Hansen, who serves as Valdosta State\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s head tennis coach. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153She is gone, and I have been here more than 40 years.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Hansen graduated from Valdosta State College (VSC) with a bachelor\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s degree in marketing and played tennis under coach Red Sikes Caraway.<\/p>\n

While working on a master\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s in education, Hansen was asked to coach the men\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s tennis team. The 25-year-old never dreamed this was the start of a 40-year career.<\/p>\n

During his first years of coaching, VSC was in the Georgia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and played against<\/p>\n

larger schools, including the University of Florida, Florida State University, the University of Georgia, and the University of Cincinnati, which was ranked ninth in the nation.<\/p>\n

With two NCAA Division II national championship titles, three runner-up finishes, and 20 conference championships, it is easy to see why Hansen was recently recognized by the State of Georgia for his illustrious coaching career.<\/p>\n

In a special presentation honoring Hansen\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 40 years of coaching, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle signed a proclamation recognizing Valdosta State University\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s longest tenured coach for his \u00e2\u20ac\u0153leader- ship, integrity, and caring for the many student-athletes he has coached and taught, instilling in them the principles of humility and good sportsmanship.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

With more than four decades as a student, coach, and teacher, Hansen is quick to share that first and foremost he is a Blazer fan. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I am a Valdosta State guy first and tennis coach second,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Hansen, who became the women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s tennis coach in 1980. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I love Valdosta State. There are so many memories, obviously becoming a university and when Coach Tommy Thomas won the first national championship [baseball] for the school. I have never seen this community come together more for the college. I think this is when people first realized we could compete on a national level.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Hansen has fond memories of the two national championships for the men\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s tennis teams in 2006 and 2011.<\/p>\n

The first championship game was played in Kansas City, Kan., against Lynn University. The Blazers had been contenders for the national title several times before the 2006 win.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I told myself this will be very nice, but it won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be a big deal,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Hansen said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But I was wrong. When we won that last point, it was a tremendous feeling.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Five years later, Hansen and the men\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s tennis team found themselves in Orlando, Fla., vying for the championship win. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The second championship was different; it was just as exciting but so much fun because of all the people from Valdosta who came to watch. In Kansas City was just us,” \u00c2\u00a0Hansen said. “There were at least 50 Valdosta State fans, far more than any of the other teams had.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

The fans are an important part of the success of any athletic program, and Hansen has witnessed the growing number of Blazer supporters within the community.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You can see it changing. As we grow, our following will grow with us,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Hansen, who is a member of Valdosta State University\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Athletic Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n

A legend in tennis, Hansen was named the Intercollegiate Tennis Association\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s National Division II Coach of the Year in 2000 and 2010. He was named the South Region Men\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Coach of the Year in 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2011. He added the South Region Women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Coach of the Year award in 2005, 2007, and 2008.<\/p>\n

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Hansen\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s players have received national recognition. He has coached 63 All-American players and has had an athlete named All-Gulf South Conference 148 times \u00e2\u20ac\u201d 74 men and 74 women.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Best thing I have enjoyed is getting to know the players who came as kids and left as adults,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Hansen, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153to see where they are, what they have accomplished. We have players all over the world.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Growing up, John Hansen\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s life could be compared to that of a nomad moving from city to city with no permanent dwelling place. The son of a Marine pilot, Hansen\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s family moved 32 times before he graduated from high school in Gainesville, Fla. After a few years at the Naval Academy, Hansen was on the…

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